14 DAY TRIAL // You might think that, with all the celebrity endorsement they get, platform pumps and stilettos are the most popular shoes of the year. As it turns out, it's the aesthetically unappealing barefoot shoe that takes the cake.
Footwear News had readers vote for what they consider the hottest trends in footwear for the year that's about to end. They have spoken, the Daily Mail reports: Readers' Choice goes to the barefoot shoe.
Seen on countless celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson and Matthew McConaughey, the running shoe and other minimalist models got a whopping 26 percent of all the readers' votes.
Again, given how popular platforms are (Louboutin pumps even have their own song, performed by no other than the ultimate diva Jennifer Lopez), this is quite a surprise.
On the other hand, it proves that, no matter how much star endorsement some products might get, real people still choose comfort over trendiness.
The barefoot / minimalist trend is expected to be even more popular in 2012 so, if you happen to be particularly opposed to it, now's the time to get with the program.
“For the most part the rest of the list reads like a throw back to the Nineties,” the Mail notes.
“Espadrilles as worn by Lea Michele and clumpy 'flatforms' beat even the wing tips, brogues and lace-ups in the popularity stakes. Other trends included 'color blocking' seen in both footwear and fashion,” says the British tab.
“Coming in second to the ugly duckling running shoes is 'vintage/Americana' that covers a range of footwear from the lace up worker's boot to the Converse All Star,” the same publication reports.
Espadrilles also ranked high, getting 10 percent of the votes, while menswear-inspired looks (and shoes) came rather close, getting 6 percent of the readers' approval.
Notably absent from the chart are other celebrity favorites like the crocs and the Uggs, considered two of the most hideous – albeit practical and comfy – footwear pieces ever to be created and go mainstream.